The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-12
From the Boston Herald.


How old are you?" he asked
''Twent1zone.
''When!n
Last January"
"What year were you born in?'
This proved a puzzler for moment, but a
little arithmetic made it all right.
I'm 1866"
''Got any wife or childrenr'
MOI
swell, go along up and see the sergeant.
The young man wiped the sweat from his
brow. He had had no idea he would be
asked so many questions. When the ser
geant took him in hand the conlndr-ums
were renewed with increased volume
What IS your name! Where were you
born! What is your occupation! Age?
Height? Weight!" and half dozen other
inquiries were made with rapidity.
$50 you want to go to the army:'' said the
sergeant, at last.
''Yesn
'Were you ever in jail?'
s'No."
'Come in the other room, then"
The perspiration increased on the fore
head of the young man, as he followed the
sergeant.
''Strip off your Clothes
Gan of themT
Certainly"
Then the surgeon got hold of him, and
that functionary made as thorough an ex-
animation of the youth as though he in
tended to buy him. He looked him over
with great care, felt of his skin, explored
his scalp, bored into his ears, looked at his
eyes, investigated his nostris, peered down
his mouth, stared in his face, fingered his
neck and thumped his chest The candi-
date for glory began to look tired.
Extend your arms above your head, y
commanded the surgeon Now cough"
1,Na Ill II IL
like a horse"
Take long step forward with your
right foot. Bend your knees. Assume this
position"
The surgeon put his victim through a
dozen evolutions, ending with having him
cock the hammer of a rife to see whether
his thumb was sufficiently strong. Then he
weighed him on the scales; then he meas
ured his height and chest, noted his COM
plexion, color of eyes and hair, and wrote
down the facts on a blank. After that he
resumed his questionings.
He asked that young man what was the
nationality of his father and mother; what
sicknesses he had ever experienced; whether
both his parents were living, and if not,
why; whether any of his brothers and sis
tiers were dead and what allied them; if he
was
IN THE HABIT OF GETTING DIZZY,
having headaches, fiuttering of the heart,
shortneSs of breath, cold in the head or
rheumatism if he had ever been troubled
with sore eyes or running ears, or fits; if he
drank liquor and how much; if he often had
the ''horrors;n as well as many other play
full things relating to his past life and con-
duct, all of which seemed to give the sur
geon great satisfaction and the young man
much distress.
Then that surgeon seemed suddenly
stricken with contrition, and Endorsed on the
blank which he had filed out:
knowledge of English language, good !;
comparative intelligence, excellent; figure
and general appearance, fine"
At the foot of this he wrote his name, and
filed up the other spaces as they should be-
The sergeant signified to the young man
that he had passed his examination with
credit and could sign the enlistment paper,
which he did, looking proud as we'll as ex-
hausted when he saw his name appear.
Hold up your right hand, said the SER
geant, and he proceeded to swear the re-
cruit in as a soldier of the army Of the
United States for a period of five years, I'M
less he should sooner be discharged by
proper authority; making him agree to ac-
cept such bounty, pay, rations and clothing
as might be established by law; to bear true
faith and allegiance to the United States
and serve them honestly against all enemies
whonlsoever; to obey the orders of the Presi-
dent of the United States and all officers APP
pointed over him, according to the rules and
articles of war.
But a short time elapsed before the re-
cruit appeared dressed in United States
forage cap, trousers, blouse, undershlrt,
blue flannel shirt, drawers, socks shoes and
suspenders of Uncle Sans regulation uni
form. and was sent in charge OF corporal
TO a neighboring boarding house.
Sergt. NJ. j. McNally, who had assisted at
these ceremonies, kindly gave desired infor-
nation to reporter, who had been an in
terested spectator.
''This man. said he, ''whom we have
just enlisted, will be sent in few days to
David's Island, New York harbor, where
the recruits for the infantry service are kept
three months before being sent to the ranks
of the regular army. If he had wished to
join the cavalry, and had shown qualitica-
tions for that branch, he would go to the
Hudson street depot, so-called, at No. IVA
Hudson street, New York city. We do not
send less than six of them. from here at a
time, and a corporal takes charge of them
en- route This is the only recruiting rem
devious in Massachusetts, and is in charge
of Capt Samuel McKeever, of the Second
United States Infantry, which is now sta
toned at Fort Omaha There are twenty
six of these rendezvouse sin the country. The
rules for enlisting men stipglate that they
sound health unmarried, childless, not un-
der 81 nor more than So years OF age. For
the infantry man must be not less than .
feet inches in height, and weigh between
100 and 100 pounds. He may be as much
taller as he fixes, but in the cavalry he can
not be over feet 10, or weigh over 100. He
nlssa la
OF ANY COLOR OR NATIONALITY,
but must read and write English and take
the oath TO support the laws. His pay will
be $13 month the first two years, $l4 the
third, So the fourth and SIC the fifth. This
aggregates $3.50 for his five years, besides
ali food, transportion, and $500 III money
with which TO purchase clothing. IL he is
anxious to earn more than these sums he
can usually get extra pay for detail work
A laborer often gets $40 a month extra, and
n mechanic or clerk S15 He can brush up
his education under good teachers IL he
chooses. The non-commissioned officers are
also chosen from the enlisted men. Those
who become corporals get 50 month ad-
vance, those who are appointed second,
third, fourth or fifth sergeants get "a extra,
and a first sergeant 50. Once year those
of the non-commissioned officers, who have
served two years and desire it, are examined
for promotion, and some of them come out
second lieutenants. / think there are men
in the regular army holding as high rank